Rocket.Chat
Rocket.Chat: A flexible, open-source chat platform for controlled and isolated deployments. Ranked #5 of 63 in Team Chat Apps by our editors (8.8/10); pricing: Free plan; best for organizations needing controlled deployments.
At a glance
- Editor score8.8 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forOrganizations needing controlled deployments
- Free planYes
- Guest accessYes
- Founded2015 · Wilmington, Delaware, United States
- Facts checked20 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Self-hosted and air-gapped deployment options
- Channels, threads, search, calls, guests, and file sharing
- Role-based access, SSO, MFA, encryption, and retention policies
Where it doesn't
- Commercial, Government, and Defense plans are quote-based
- Community is self-hosted only and limited to core messaging
- Community push notifications are capped at 10,000 per month
Our verdict on Rocket.Chat
Rocket.Chat is an open-source communications platform for organizations that need controlled collaboration and data ownership. It brings together public and private channels, direct messages, groups, threaded discussions, searchable message history, file sharing, voice and video, screen sharing, guest access, and mobile and desktop clients. Its documented audiences include commercial organizations, government agencies, defense organizations, critical-infrastructure operators, and regulated industries. The broad deployment model makes it a fit for teams that need more control over where collaboration data is hosted.
Pricing is structured around deployment needs. Starter is free at $0 USD per user per month when billed monthly, supports up to 50 users, and includes channels, groups, direct messages, threaded discussions, searchable history, and iOS and Android apps. Community is also free, is self-hosted only, supports up to 100 concurrent users, and adds Jitsi and BigBlueButton video calls, with push notifications capped at 10,000 per month. Commercial adds dedicated cloud hosting, high availability and disaster recovery, calls, screen sharing, open APIs, and custom integrations. Government adds granular role-based access control, message search and export, and Matrix federation, while Defense includes SCIF-ready deployment, DoD ATO up to IL6, clearance-enforced attribute-based access control, and XMPP interoperability.
Rocket.Chat’s strongest distinction is its deployment and control surface. Organizations can choose self-managed, self-hosted, on-premises, private-cloud, isolated VPC/VPN, sovereign-cloud, or air-gapped environments, depending on the plan. Security-related capabilities include end-to-end encryption, retention policies, role-based access control, single sign-on, and multifactor authentication. Integrations span Pexip, Jitsi, BigBlueButton, Google Meet, Zoom, webhooks, REST API, Integration API, Apps Engine, Matrix federation, and XMPP. Choose Rocket.Chat when deployment control, open-source access, or specialized government and defense requirements matter. Teams seeking a simpler hosted chat service with less deployment responsibility should look elsewhere.
Your product? Our editors can test Rocket.Chat in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →
Rocket.Chat pricing
All 5 Rocket.Chat plans and prices →
Rocket.Chat fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Not verified |
| Channels | Yes |
| Guest access | Yes |
| Message history | Unlimited |
| Integrations | GitHub, Google Calendar, Google Drive, Google Meet, Jira Cloud, Microsoft Teams, Pexip, Telegram, Trello, WhatsApp, Zapier, Zoom |
| Supported platforms | web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, API, self-hosted |
| Maximum members | 50 users |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted, Desktop, Mobile |
| Platforms | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Compliance & security | SOC 2, GDPR, SSO/SAML, 2FA |
| Support | Community, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 5,000+ integrations: GitHub, Google Calendar, Google Drive, Google Meet, Jira Cloud, Microsoft Teams … See all → |
| Pricing | Free plan (source) |
| Website | rocket.chat |
| Facts checked | 20 Sep 2026 |
Rocket.Chat integrations
Rocket.Chat lists 5,000+ integrations on its own site — the 12 named here are the ones its pages call out.
- GitHub
- Google Calendar
- Google Drive
- Google Meet
- Jira Cloud
- Microsoft Teams
- Pexip
- Telegram
- Trello
- Zapier
- Zoom
See all Rocket.Chat integrations →
Alternatives to Rocket.Chat
- Microsoft TeamsA broad team chat workspace with a free plan and deep Microsoft 365 integration.9.4
- SlackA capable team-chat hub for integration-heavy teams, with limited free history.9.3
- Zoho CliqA broad team chat suite with strong Zoho ecosystem fit and a capable free plan.9.1
See all Rocket.Chat alternatives →
Rocket.Chat vs the competition
- Rocket.Chat vs Microsoft Teams
- Rocket.Chat vs Slack
- Rocket.Chat vs Zoho Cliq
- Rocket.Chat vs Mattermost
- Rocket.Chat vs Zulip
- Rocket.Chat vs Lark
Compare Rocket.Chat with any tool side by side →
Also Ranked In
Rocket.Chat is ranked in 9 of our directories; the 6 strongest besides Team Chat Apps.
- #3Secure Team Chat Software30 tools ranked
- #5Business Instant Messaging - Enterprise Software22 tools ranked
- #7Team Communication Software25 tools ranked
- #7Business Instant Messaging - Midmarket Software24 tools ranked
- #8Team Collaboration Software25 tools ranked
- #9Instant Messaging Software32 tools ranked
Used Rocket.Chat? Be the first to review it
The editor score above is our own research. What this page doesn't have yet is a reader's view — what you used Rocket.Chat for, what worked and what didn't. No stars are seeded and no review is paid for; an editor reads every one before it appears.
Write a reviewTwo minutes · verified accounts only · read by an editor before it appears
Featured on iTechGuides
Rocket.Chat is listed in our Team Chat Apps directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.
<a href="https://www.itechguides.com/products/rocket-chat/"><img src="https://www.itechguides.com/best/badge/rocket-chat.svg" alt="Featured on iTechGuides" width="230" height="46"></a>
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
Last updated · How we research and update